Heart Over Matter
by youreconfusingme
Summary: Hermione Granger helps restore the Hogwarts Castle back to its former glory. What she discovers in one of its hidden rooms bring her somewhere she never expected to be.
1. Chapter 1: East Wing

**Author's Note: **Hello again! :) I am trying on a new pair, one that I've been itching to write about after reading so much about them and absolutely adoring them. As with my other fic in the CSI: Miami fandom, I have already plotted out this story, so hopefully I'll be able to finish it. *crosses fingers*

Forgive me for any inconsistencies I might commit throughout this story!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter, or any of its characters, and some parts of this tale's plot which were lifted from the books.

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**Heart Over Matter**

**Chapter 1: The East Wing**

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"Miss Granger, look out!"

Hermione Granger turned around in time to see hundreds of school desks levitating in mid-air towards her. She flattened herself to the ground and waited until all of them had passed by.

"Ooh, I am terribly sorry Miss Granger! I did not notice you here!" Professor Filius Flitwick apologized profusely.

"It's quite all right, Professor," Hermione smiled at the little man. "No harm done."

"Minerva is calling out to you," he replied, nodding towards the new Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Headmistress, who was presently waving her hand in the air to get Hermione's attention.

"Thanks Professor." Hermione rushed beside the witch in formal robes and a pointed hat.

Headmistress McGonagall smiled. "I see you are bright and early today, Hermione."

"I really had nothing much to do at home, so I figured I'd come by early to help out," Hermione responded, shrugging her shoulders.

"It's just as well. I have been looking for capable and trustworthy hands that can explore on the east wing of the Castle. The staff are already burdened enough as it is and not many student volunteers are familiar with it. I daresay you are one of the few who might have ventured toward that side of the Castle," said McGonagall with a twinkle in her eyes.

Hermione blushed. It was true that her many clandestine night-time ventures around the Castle with Harry, Ron, the Marauder's Map, and the Invisibility Cloak had made Hermione more knowledgeable on the ins and outs of the Castle than most students.

It was fifteen months after the Second Wizarding War. Lord Voldemort was finally defeated by The Boy Who Lived, and life had resumed again for the wizards and witches of Britain. It was not without difficulty that they tried to rebuild their lives again after their losses. Those who lost someone because of the War were still grieving.

Their dead were buried, and accolades were given to the heroes of the new Wizarding World, both small and great. The renovation of the Hogwarts Castle was nearly done, and the Board of Governors, along with the rest of the staff, had deemed it worthy to be reopened in a month—just in time for the regular school opening in September.

Hermione Granger was one of the many students who volunteered to help in rebuilding the Castle. Miraculously, she had regained all of her parents' memories. But they decided to stay in Australia for good. Hermione settled herself in London—this time, alone. She wanted to continue being a part of the (now new) Wizarding World which had accepted her for who she was at the time when she had no one else to rely on aside from her parents.

Hermione wanted to continue her seventh year in September and earn her N.E.W.T.s, despite protests from her two best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Both had already started on their own careers as Aurors-in-training under the new Ministry of Magic. Seeing as she did not exactly have constant company, Hermione decided to help out at Hogwarts.

"I might have been in some of the rooms in the east wing, yes…" Hermione consented.

"That is good. The east wing is generally unpopulated by most students. The staff members are, of course, familiar with it. The place is mostly abandoned. There are a few unused rooms there that I would like you to check, just to see if they are in need of any fixing. I will personally show you the rooms that I would like you to work on," said McGonagall. She looked at Hermione with her beady eyes.

Hermione nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, Professor! I mean, Headmistress!" She tittered lightly. She was still in the process of getting used to calling her former Head of House in her new title.

McGonagall smiled. "Very well. Shall we go there now?"

Hermione followed McGonagall into the Castle. After a series of staircases—some she were not entirely familiar with—they were finally in the eerily silent east wing. There were three doors to her left and four to her right. One door on each side was boarded up. Hermione glanced at them curiously.

"We shall keep them boarded up unless we are in need of additional classrooms," McGonagall answered to her curious look.

The Headmistress went to the right side and opened the door closest to Hermione. Both peered inside the dusty interior. There were grimy windows and a few broken school desks inside. "Remember to wear a mask when you go inside these rooms. They have been uninhabited for who knows how long, and I'm afraid they have been left to gather dust.

I only want you to examine if any part of the rooms have been damaged by Dark Magic. I trust that you know how to handle yourself in these situations?"

She peered at her student intensely. Hermione nodded quickly but said nothing.

"Very well. You will examine them alone, but I will send someone to help you when there are renovations to be done."

They went into the room next to the first one and saw that it was much like the former. The next door was boarded up, and so they skipped right to the last door. The room gave out a putrid odor which initially put Hermione on her guard. She did not trust anything—or anyone, for that matter—and it was all because of the War. _It really changed me a lot, _she reflected sadly.

Hermione suspected that it would take her a while to regain her once-optimistic hope for the best in people, but she was slowly letting herself do so again.

Suddenly, McGonagall let out something between a snort and a laugh (Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise at this). "It smells like cat food mixed with dung in here! I daresay Mrs. Norris has been making this room her litter box."

Hermione, having no desire to enter such a rancid room again, asked timidly, "Do I have to check on that room, too, Headmistress?"

McGonagall laughed. "No, no. I won't force you to work in there. I shall see to it myself when I find the time."

They crossed the hallway to the remaining two rooms. McGonagall opened a door. It was full of tanks, phials, and cauldrons. Her face registered recognition. "Oh! This is the storage room for Potions. Be careful here, Hermione. You never know what Severus or Slughorn, or any of the past Potions Masters have been putting in here."

At the mention of her old Potions professor, Hermione startled. She had pondered for some time what had become of Severus Snape. They had erected him a tombstone, but they never recovered his body. She, Harry, and Ron thought that Snape had died in the Shrieking Shack, but when the other members of the Order of the Phoenix looked for it, it was nowhere to be found. The stream of blood only indicated that he moved around the room.

_And they never looked for him again, _Hermione thought, somewhat bitterly. No matter how many honors Snape received, she still thought that it was more important that they actually found him—or his dead body.

Harry had relayed to her the contents of the phial Snape gave him before they left him in the Shrieking Shack. Hermione had long suspected Snape to be trustworthy, but she never imagined the extent of his loyalty. Harry's story confirmed her opinions about the man. This made Hermione even more frustrated over the way the Wizarding World had treated Severus Snape after he had vanished.

_But you were like them, Hermione, _her conscience reminded her. _You didn't look for Snape either._

_Because I didn't know where to look! _She wanted to scream back at her conscience. _And it's not as if I'd given up on him entirely…_

Hermione had tried to talk to members of the Order, even the new Minister for Magic himself, Kingsley Shacklebolt, about looking for Severus Snape. But they had given up on the idea of finding the man alive again. After all, he had been mauled by no ordinary snake.

Even Harry looked helpless when she asked for his help. "You simply cannot find someone who does not want to be found, Hermione," he reasoned.

After many months of trying, Hermione finally let the matter rest. But it did not mean that she was not plagued anymore by the haunting death scene of Severus Snape. His final moments mixed with her other friends' own in her nightmares. She saw them almost every night. That didn't exactly make it easy for her to forget.

Hermione shook herself out of her reverie and tried to focus on what McGonagall was saying. She was unaware of having followed her inside the last room. Blinking, Hermione let her eyes get accustomed to the darkness of the room. It only had a small solitary window, and did not contain anything—or so the two witches thought.

McGonagall finally closed the door and the pair descended the many stairs again. As Hermione was wondering how she would find the east wing again without McGonagall's help, the elderly witch answered her thoughts again. "Just tell the stairs where you want to go," was her simple advice.

When finally out in the open sunlight, McGonagall said, "You can start on the east wing tomorrow. In the meantime, you can help whoever needs any assistance around the Castle."

A squeal issued from one of the open upper windows. Hermione suspected that Professor Flitwick might be having trouble of some sort with the school desks.

"Thank you, Ma'am," Hermione said politely, and jogged back inside the Castle to aid the Charms Master.

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**A/N #2: **I'm really quite excited to see how this tale will turn out, seeing as I only planned the plot generally.

Please let me know your thoughts about this chapter! :)


	2. Chapter 2: Illusion

**A/N: **Sorry that I took a bit longer to update! I've been quite busy these past days and lately, time has been an issue in my writing. So just a heads up: I might not be able to update as frequently as I'd like, but I want very much to take you all through this piece so I will do my best.

Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites this story has received! You are all lovely :D

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter, or any of its characters, and some parts of this tale's plot which were lifted from the books.

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**Heart over Matter**

**Chapter 2: Illusion**

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If there was a single Gryffindor quality Hermione prided herself upon having, it was bravery. Sometimes when fear threatens to overcome her she convinces herself that her courage is stronger than her logic.

Then again, she is also curious. Her almost insatiable desire for knowledge and to know the answers to her questions have also proven to be detrimental to her safety. Sometimes having loads of courage and curiosity isn't a good combination after all…

_Pop!_

Hermione steadied herself and took a deep breath of the cool morning air. She had Apparated from her London flat to Hogsmeade, eager to have a head start on her new project. It had been too long since she had been this upbeat about something that involved magic.

She didn't want to think of it that way, but Hermione felt as if magic—even her own magic—had lost its novelty after what she had been through in the Second Wizarding War. She now knew fully both the wonders and the horrors that their kind can produce.

Hermione leisurely walked along the silent cobbled main street of Hogsmeade. She tried to remember the happier times she had spent along these roads. For her, keeping the good memories intact and more vivid than the terrible ones is already a huge feat.

Once she reached the gates of Hogwarts she found Argus Filch standing on the other side, impatiently waiting for her to come in.

"About time," he huffed. "Headmistress McGonagall made me wait for you here since the crack of dawn!"

Hermione suppressed her giggles. McGonagall certainly knew her well. The older witch had already anticipated her eagerness to start on the job. She entered the Castle and walked a few yards behind Filch. He was in a hurry to find warmth inside the Castle but Hermione enjoyed the cold weather and the calm surroundings. In about two hours the Castle will be full of people and noises again. For now, she was content to take in her tranquil surroundings.

When they were both inside the Castle, Filch curtly told Hermione, "The Headmistress said you can go up to the East Wing and start on your task. If you encounter any trouble, send your Patronus to her or to me."

He hobbled down to the dungeons. Mrs. Norris slinked around the corner and followed her master, her tail swishing back and forth arrogantly.

Hermione was amused with the feline. She certainly acted like her own Crookshanks, who, at present, was left at home alone with only yarns and soft balls to amuse himself with.

When Filch and Mrs. Norris were out of sight, Hermione went up. She did not exactly remember the way to the east wing, but she trusted the Castle's ability to take her there.

She took a couple of flights up, generally heading to the east side of the Castle. After a couple of minutes, though, Hermione realized that she was only going around in circles. She kept coming back to the same flight of stairs. She sighed in slight frustration—she had wasted time.

Finally, she sat on the steps of the stairs by the portrait of two knights who were jousting. She collected herself and thought calmly, _please take me to the east wing, where Headmistress McGonagall and I went yesterday._

She took a moment before standing up, taking a deep breath, and climbing back up the stairs. When she rounded the corner near the staircase, she found herself facing the corridor of the uninhabited east wing. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and murmured "thank you" to the Castle. She was fairly certain it had old magic within its walls that allowed it to communicate with humans somehow, just like the Sorting Hat.

Smiling broadly at her success, Hermione proceeded to strap her mask on. She entered the first room to her right and was confronted by the griminess of the place. She allowed her eyes to adjust in the semi-darkness that cloaked the room. She also noted that the space inside was as big as their regular classrooms in the other floors.

"Lumos," she whispered. Even though it was early morning, the dusty mirrors did not allow much sunshine to seep through, making the room darker than it normally would be. Hermione examined the room with keen curiosity. _This room might contain secrets, _a little voice whispered in her head.

Immediately Hermione casted some basic diagnostic spells in the place including "Homenum Revelio" and "Specialis Revelio" to know if another human or magical object might be in the room. For added measure, as she felt the need for extra protection from Dark Magic of any sort, Hermione also casted "Protego Horribilis".

When certain that there were no other magical beings in the room, Hermione proceeded to look around with her wand light held in front of her. As there were no candles inside, Hermione conjured a blue light and put it in a jar—a specialty of hers since first year. Then she pointed at the grimy windows and muttered, "Tergeo" to clean them up.

_Of course, we need to come back here to clean the room manually, _she thought. She also cleaned up the broken desks and several cabinets that she discovered lined up at the back of the room.

When she finished examining every nook and cranny of the room, Hermione went out to the sunnier corridor of the east wing. A huge window was at the end of the hallway and the morning sun was fully shining through. She was grateful for the warmth and light that the sun brought in.

_It certainly is silent around here, _she realized. Hermione set down her jar and pulled out the small notebook and pen she carried in the pocket of her jeans. She had resorted to bringing a pen because carrying around a quill and an ink bottle is just too much of a hassle—she did not want to carry any bag with her. Hermione wrote her findings on the notebook and listed down some of the things they had to do to put the room back in order.

When she finished, she sat down on the floor beside the door of the room she examined. Hermione was in no hurry for she had the whole day for the east wing.

"_When you finish with the east wing, you may go home. You have been working long hours here for weeks now and you deserve some rest!" _McGonagall had told her yesterday. Obviously the old witch had thought that Hermione was overworking herself again.

She was gazing absentmindedly on the door across from her when Hermione felt a little tug, as if the room across the hall was calling out to her. She thought it might be just her conscience berating her for slacking off but Hermione detected another curious feeling—it was as if she _needed _to go inside the room.

Curiosity getting the best of her, Hermione stood up and opened the door cautiously. It was dark inside, save for the small beam of light coming from the single window high above her. She felt a shiver of excitement. It was like the room held some deep mystery that it wanted her to discover.

It was a good thing that Hermione had a good amount of Gryffindor bravery in her for it allowed her to continue through the threshold of the dark room with only her blue light and the sunlight from outside the door to serve her eyesight. When her eyes adjusted in the darkness, Hermione figured that the interior was significantly smaller than the first one she had been in for the dark walls seem to be pressed closer together. She casted diagnostic spells in the room.

"Specialis Revelio," she murmured. She was surprised when a vibration seemed to pass in the air around her. _That can only mean one thing,_ she thought in amazement. The charm had never worked for her in the past so it was curious indeed that this seemingly deserted room held magic of some sort.

"Protego Horribilis," Hermione uttered louder and with more conviction than she intended to. It was as if the verbalization of the spell will somehow make her feel braver than she felt. She decided to leave the door open to lessen the darkness of the room.

As her eyes traveled around, she noticed a huge dark mass to her extreme right. Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin—the dark mass initially looked like a Dementor to her. She stifled a scream that nearly rose out of her throat and attempted to calm herself down when she realized (after a mini heart attack) that the dark mass was only a huge black cloth that seemed to be covering something tall and wide.

Hermione steeled herself and went further into the room to see the object better. She stood in front of the object for a while, holding her blue light and wand against it. Finally, she set her jar down and gingerly tugged at the cloth. When it did not budge, she pulled it down all the way. The object underneath the covering was not what she expected it to be.

There stood in front of her was a towering mirror. She gazed at it, her mouth gaping. _It's the Mirror of Erised! _Hermione thought excitedly.

"I wonder if Dumbledore moved it here after Harry got the Stone," Hermione muttered, going around the mirror. She paused and thought for a while. _What will I see when I look at it? _

Finally, the urge to satisfy her curiosity won over. Hermione stepped in front of the mirror and gazed at her reflection. She smiled slightly at herself as she waited for the mirror to show her deepest desire.

But again, Hermione received another surprise. Instead of seeing herself achieving her heart's desire, she saw rows of brick houses that were situated near a filthy river. Mist cloaked the entire area and prevented the sun from shining through fully. It also made the place look more decrepit than it might actually be.

Confused, Hermione frowned at the sight. She brought up her hand to touch the image and was suddenly jolted out of the floor. She did not have time to scream as the mirror sucked her in. Seconds later, she found herself standing in the exact location that the mirror had reflected.

Anxious thoughts immediately jumped into her mind. _What if the mirror was an artifact laced with Dark Magic? Am I being led into a trap? Are Dementors or Death Eaters here? Maybe Voldemort's alive after all and I might be in his hiding place!_

Heart hammering inside her, Hermione tried her best to keep her fears at bay. She summoned all her strength to force herself to think of a way out. She did not know where she was at the moment, and the place looked as foreboding as she felt.

Hermione finally decided to Apparate back to Hogsmeade. She walked around in search of an inconspicuous place. Though the houses looked like they were abandoned, she couldn't risk being found out. The aftermath of the Second Wizarding War forced the Ministry of Magic to reinforce the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. Violating it might put Hermione in hot water that even the Minister for Magic himself cannot save her from.

She found a dank and darkened alleyway in between two tall buildings with no side windows. She moved behind the piles of garbage cans at the end of the alley and there Disapparated.

_Pop!_

She gasped for fresh air when she arrived at Hogsmeade. The sun was fully shining now in the late morning. As Hermione walked back to the Castle, she pondered over her little adventure. Surely the mirror was different from the Mirror of Erised! She never knew Erised to do such a thing as transporting a person to another place.

Maybe it was a Portkey. _Hmm, possible, _Hermione thought. But her instinct told her that the mirror wanted her to find the place. That pull she felt towards the mirror earlier was not normal, and certainly unlike her usual desire to satisfy her curiosity. It was somehow…stronger.

Despite her misgivings, Hermione decided not to tell McGonagall about the mirror yet. She was fairly certain that the Headmistress, no matter how much she trusted and liked her, will not allow her to continue exploring a potentially dangerous magical object alone. And Hermione had a strong suspicion that the mirror led her to that place for a reason—a reason that was meant for her alone to find out and understand.

She finished examining the room beside the first one she entered, skipped the foul-smelling one next to it, and called it a day after she had finished writing her findings on the Potions storage room.

The surprises of the day left Hermione knackered. But it did not weaken her resolve to find out more about the mysterious mirror. So when she talked to McGonagall at the end of the day, she had formed a decision in her mind.

"How was your work at the east wing, Miss Granger?" McGonagall asked as she and Hermione walked down the marble staircase to the Great Hall where meals were being served to the staff and volunteers.

"It went surprisingly well. But I am still not done, Professor. May I come back there tomorrow?"

"Of course," McGonagall bestowed her favorite student a rare smile. "We have a week or two to finish the rehabilitation of the east wing rooms. The other parts of the Castle are on their finishing touches already. You can submit to me your observations the day after tomorrow. Will that be amenable to you?"

"Yes, of course," Hermione responded. But deep inside she thought, _That means I only have about two days to find out about that place. And right now the mirror is the only way I can get there. McGonagall will surely want to move the mirror away when she discovers what it does. _

Alas, Hermione Granger responded to her resolution in the only way she knows how: scouring the library for any book that might lead her to any information about the strange place in the mirror.

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**A/N #2: **Feedback is appreciated! :)


	3. Chapter 3: Surprises and Answers

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter, or any of its characters, and some parts of this tale's plot which were lifted from the books.

* * *

**Heart over Matter**

**Chapter 3: Surprises and Answers**

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Hermione sighed in frustration. She had been in the library since five o'clock in the afternoon. She immediately went there after she had talked to Headmistress McGonagall. Two hours later, she still hasn't found anything about the place the mirror had brought her to.

_I knew it was really too much to expect that I can find the place in such short notice. But this is even more frustrating than looking for information on basilisks! _

She had taken out geography books for wizarding places and had diligently examined the maps and photos for two hours, but to no avail.

"Ahem," somebody coughed behind her. Hermione turned around and saw Madame Pince, the librarian, looking at her sternly. "It's already seven o'clock, Miss Granger. I understand that you have a pressing research at hand, but I will have to close the library now."

Hermione turned beet red and scurried to return the huge tomes she had taken down. "I'm sorry, Madame Pince! I didn't realize it was already late. I'm going to put these back now."

The elder witch's countenance softened. Truth be told, she had missed having students like Hermione Granger around at the library as she knew that they truly appreciated the value of books.

"It's quite all right, Miss Granger. You can leave them there. I'll return them myself. You should get rest now. You look like you've had a long day."

Hermione stopped short. Madame Pince rarely showed her kindness to students. Therefore she smiled and gratefully accepted her offer.

"Thank you so much. You're right. I did enjoy my stay here however frustrating my research had been. This place is still as comforting as it was when I was a student," Hermione added without wax. She herself had rarely expressed to Madame Pince her appreciation for the way the witch had taken care of Hogwarts' library.

Madame Pince smiled at her as she bid her good night.

As she walked to the castle gate, Hermione drew her coat closer to her body. The air was cooler in the evening. She looked up to the sky, wanting to appreciate the stars that had started to appear. Suddenly, a flying object caught her attention. It looked like an owl and it was growing bigger as it flew lower.

Hermione decided to ignore it and kept on walking down the sloping path to the gate. A few minutes later, though, she uttered a small scream in surprise: the owl had landed on her shoulder.

It did not seem frightened of her but it tightened its hold on her shoulder. The owl softly pecked her ear. Getting a good look at it, Hermione recognized it as Alexis, Harry's new owl. Ginny had gotten him a new one before she went to tour with the Holyhead Harpies.

"Hey Alexis," Hermione greeted softly. The owl looked almost exactly like Hedwig.

Alexis held out her left leg and Hermione untied a note from it.

_Hey Hermione!_

_It's been ages since we last saw each other! I miss you. Ron and I both do. I'm home at the moment, in Grimmauld Place. Ginny's on tour. Ron's still working at the Ministry. Fancy a glass of wine or a cup of coffee at Grimmauld Place? _

_I reckon you're still at Hogwarts. If you can, Apparate here tonight when you're done there._

_Harry_

A part of Hermione could not believe it. Harry actually had free time to spend with her. A huge smile formed in her face. But before she could walk further, Alexis impatiently nipped at her ear. She held out her right leg.

Hermione untied the note. _Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, _it said.

After she read it, the note burst into flames. Hermione jogged her way down to the gate and Apparated to Grimmauld Place once safely out of Hogwarts premises.

* * *

She popped into a deserted alley near Grimmauld Place. When she stood in front of Numbers Eleven and Thirteen, Number Twelve immediately materialized before her very eyes. After checking to see if the coast was clear, Hermione entered the front door.

She was solemnly greeted by Kreacher. She smiled at the elf as he led her to the kitchen where Harry was waiting.

"Hermione!" Harry greeted enthusiastically. He wrapped her in a tight bear hug. Hermione couldn't help grinning back at him. She had definitely missed her best friend.

"How's it going, Harry? I'm so glad you're home!"

"Me too! Have a seat. We have a lot to talk about." He gestured for her to take the seat across from him.

"Does Miss Granger want anything?" Kreacher asked.

"A hot cup of chocolate would be nice. Thank you, Kreacher. I must say, you're looking good," Hermione graciously smiled at the elf.

Obviously pleased at her compliment, Kreacher bowed at her and attempted to smile (_Though it looks more like a sneer, _Hermione privately thought amusedly) before leaving.

"You've changed quite a bit, Hermione. I thought you wouldn't allow Kreacher to fetch you a cup," Harry laughed.

"Well I'm wound up. I did some research this evening."

"Really? Tell me about it!" Harry enthused. Before Hermione could weigh in the consequences of telling Harry about the mirror, she found herself recounting her day's adventures to her best friend.

"Whoa. You certainly had a more interesting day than I did! All I did today was listen to Lendl White talk about the Auror Code of Ethics," said Harry when she finished.

Hermione laughed. She realized that she enjoyed having Harry to talk to about her bizarre day. But her expression suddenly turned serious when she realized that she only had another day to find out about the place in the mirror.

"Do you even know what kind of magical object the mirror was?" Harry broke through her reverie.

Hermione's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my goodness! Harry, you're right! It never occurred to me to find out what the mirror was!"

Harry shook his head at her in disbelief. "Now you're really losing it, Hermione. McGonagall and Madame Pince were right. You really do need your rest. Why don't you stay the night here? You can sleep in the room you and Ginny used to stay at."

Hermione considered this proposal for a bit. She did not have to come to Hogwarts tomorrow ("_You need your rest! _McGonagall had insisted.) and she enjoyed Harry's rare company.

"All right, I'll stay here," Hermione relented. "Now tell me how you and Ron have been!"

So Harry launched into the blow-by-blow account of their Auror training. They were only interrupted when Kreacher brought them hot cups of chocolate and some pastries. Once, when Harry was about to recount a story about Ron and one of their fellow female Aurors-in-training whom Ron fancied, he paused to assess Hermione's reaction.

Hermione's quick wit realized this was what he was doing when he suddenly stopped in the middle of his story. She was quick to reassure him. "It's okay, Harry. Honestly, I'm not going to get upset over it. Ron and I had parted ways amicably."

When her best friend was certain about her feelings, Harry continued his story, injecting some anecdotes about his and Ginny's long-distance relationship. Both realized that it was nearly one o'clock in the morning when Hermione gave a huge yawn.

"Merlin, it's already one in the morning! I didn't realize the time. I'm sorry, Hermione," Harry apologized.

"It's all right, Harry. It was really good catching up with you," Hermione smiled.

"I almost forgot. I have a favor to ask of you, Hermione."

The seriousness in Harry's voice immediately put Hermione on alert. "What is it?"

"Ron and I will be starting our apprenticeship the day after tomorrow. We'll be gone for six months."

Hermione's face fell. Communication with her friends will be rare during those six months.

"I was wondering if you can keep something for me," Harry said. He put his hand inside his coat and pulled out a small phial filled with silvery material. "This phial holds the memories Snape gave to me that night at the Shrieking Shack. I already told you about them, but if ever you want to view his memories…" Harry's voice trailed off.

Hermione looked oddly at him. Why would Harry think she would want to see Snape's memories?

In answer to her puzzled look, Harry hastened to add, "Well, I remembered you were so keen to find out if he was still alive. I mean, we _still _haven't found his body, after all. Maybe his memories can help you somehow…"

Hermione blushed. So Harry still remembered that. It was true that she still wanted to know what had become of Severus Snape. She had thought a great deal about him—the man who was still as enigmatic to her even in death. _If he _is _dead, _Hermione thought.

"Why do you want me to keep it for you?" Hermione asked, trying to divert the attention away from herself.

"I don't want to lose it. I can't leave it here in the house. Not that I don't trust Kreacher. But I've carried that with me every day since Snape gave it to me. His memories were my answers, Hermione. I want to preserve them."

"I see. I'll keep the phial for you, then," Hermione smiled in understanding. She took the phial from Harry's hand.

"Thanks, Hermione. I really appreciate it. Ginny's also busy on tour so it's impossible to have her keep the phial. You're the only one I can trust with it."

Finally, both stood up and went to their respective quarters. Meeting Harry had been a good end to Hermione's unusual day.

* * *

The next morning Harry found Hermione hunched on the kitchen table with piles of books beside her. She was in the middle of breakfast when he walked in on her reading.

"Hermione, it's eight o'clock in the morning on your day off. Why are you reading?" Harry asked in a disapproving voice.

Hermione looked up. "Good morning to you too. I'm trying to find out what the mirror was, like you said. The Black family library has a good collection of books."

Kreacher popped in and set Harry's breakfast in front of him. "Thanks, Kreacher," Harry nodded appreciatively.

"Kreacher is glad that he can serve Master Harry and Miss Granger today," the elf bowed low and hurried out of the room.

Harry took his time finishing his breakfast. He was watching Hermione absorb book after book. He had to suppress a small laugh when he remembered seeing Hermione assuming the same stance during their Hogwarts days.

After a solid hour of silence on her part, Hermione suddenly cried out in joy. Harry spilled his coffee over his front and swore loudly.

"I'm sorry," Hermione giggled. "But I just saw the mirror! I know what it is!"

Despite his initial annoyance at her outburst, Harry eagerly went to her side and read with her.

On the book was a photo of a huge mirror that looked exactly like the Mirror of Erised. The description read:

_Sec Alp Deri Sed – a magical object disguised as a mirror, it shows the viewer the place where he or she desires to be at. On rare occasions, Sec Alp Deri Sed can also transport the viewer to the exact place seen in the mirror when he or she touches the glass_

_[Similar to the Mirror of Erised. See page 412]_

"The mirror I saw fits the description perfectly," Hermione murmured in awe.

"Hey, at least you only have to look for the place itself. Are you going to tell McGonagall about the mirror?" Harry asked.

"I have to." Hermione frowned. She was only halfway through in her little mystery. "She'll find out anyhow once she takes a look at the east wing herself. I have to know where the mirror brought me before McGonagall decides to keep Sec Alp Deri Sed away."

* * *

Hermione and Harry had a pleasant surprise after they had finished their breakfast—Ron paid Grimmauld Place a visit.

Hermione shrieked when Ron followed Kreacher into the kitchen. She threw her arms around the ginger and pulled Harry into the hug.

"Ronald! I've never been so happy to see you!" Hermione greeted once she had let go of the boys.

"I'm glad you're here, Hermione! It's been too long," he answered, grinning hugely.

Ron declined Kreacher's breakfast offer, saying that his mum had already fed him "enough to last for three days." Thus the Golden Trio had proceeded to catch up on each others' lives.

Harry and Hermione found out that Ron was seriously considering pursuing Amanda, their fellow Auror-in-training. And Ron was also made privy to Hermione's adventure the day before, as well as to her new discovery on the magical mirror. Harry filled them in on his recent correspondence with his cousin Dudley Dursley.

When they finally bid each other goodbye late in the afternoon, Hermione felt lighter and happier than she had ever been in months. She wished her best friends good luck on their apprenticeship. Both boys made her promise to tell them if she had any progress on the mystery in her hands.

"Be careful, Hermione. Don't hesitate to send us a Patronus or an owl if you encounter anything unusual or Dark," Harry asserted.

"I will, I promise," smiled Hermione. "You two have to be careful. Don't let your guard down easily. Constant vigilance!"

The trio smiled at the reminder. Ron reached out to hug Hermione and Harry eventually joined them. This moment was what made Hermione smile unconsciously later on—the memory of having her best friends close to her.

* * *

When she got home, Hermione remembered that she had Harry's phial with her. She took it out of the inner pocket of her coat and placed it on her bedside drawer. She sealed it with magic.

But while she rested on a hot bath, she found her mind wandering to the contents of Snape's memories. She knew them from what Harry told her. But somehow, a part of her still wanted to view the memories personally.

_Perhaps it will help me know more about Snape, _Hermione thought off-handedly. She suddenly stopped short. _Since when did I want to know more about Severus Snape? _

This alarming thought bothered her until her conscience whispered in answer, _Since you realized that you felt guilty for his death—or rather, his disappearance._

And then she was back to pondering about the mysterious man in black. _Where are you, Snape? Why haven't we found you yet?_

As Hermione got ready for bed, she had made up her mind. She was going to see Severus Snape's memories for herself.

She unearthed her own Pensieve from her storage closet. She had bought it from an antique shop at Diagon Alley so she could decipher the runes that were engraved on it.

Hermione tipped the contents into the Pensieve and got her wand ready. Taking a deep breath, she delicately lowered her face into the Pensieve and was immediately sucked in.

She landed on a meadow with a park nearby. She saw the young Severus with the young Lily Evans. They seemed to be having a good time as they played in the meadow. Then the memory shifted. It was nearly dusk and she was standing in front of a dilapidated brick house. The front lawn was unkempt and she could hear a shouting match coming from inside.

She looked over the street and saw a sign that read, "Spinner's End". Then she realized that all the houses looked alike. A couple of yards away was a river.

It didn't take Hermione long to put the puzzle pieces together. She felt faint when she realized it.

In the confines of her room she paced back and forth. She couldn't seem to wrap her mind around it.

Sec Alp Deri Sed had showed her that she desired to be at Spinner's End. Spinner's End was where Severus Snape lived. Possibly, he is still residing there.

Her heart's desire is to be where Snape is.

* * *

**A/N: **Please leave a review and tell me what you think about this chapter! :)


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